In This Issue:
Calendar
Deadline Near for Apple Loss Benefits
Honeycrisp Harvest Recommendations
More Plum Pox in Pennsylvania
No Plum Pox in Indiana
New Apple Varieties
Pinpoint Scab
Collar Rot
Asian Lady Beetle Survey
Strawberry Fall Checklist
Raspberry Fall Checklist
Blueberry Fall Checklist
Grape Fall Checklist
Gooseberry & Red Currant Cordon Training
Ohio Drought Watch
Fruit Observations & Trap Reports
Terminal Market Wholesale Fruit Prices
Jan. 15-17, 2003: Ohio Fruit & Vegetable Growers Congress & Ohio Roadside Marketing Conference, Toledo SeaGate Convention Centre and Radisson Hotel. Contact Jennifer Hungerford at 614-249-2424 for more information.
Jan. 27-29, 2003: Indiana Horticultural Congress: Planning is currently underway for next year's Hort Congress, which will be held January 27-29, 2003 at the Adams Mark Hotel in Indianapolis.
Tom Sachs, Executive Director Ohio Vegetable and Potato Growers Association (OVPGA) and Ohio Fruit Growers Society (OFGS)
The Agriculture Department on Thursday said that the final rule for the Apple Market Loss Assistance Payment (AMLAP-II) Program had been published in the Federal Register, and that apple producers have two more weeks to sign up to participate in the program.
The signup began on Apr. 29 and will end on Sept. 26. "FSA has moved as quickly as possible to get this relief out to apple producers," USDA official James R. Little said. "Producers should start receiving their payments in October 2002." The relief program will provide about $75 million to eligible growers for their 2000-crop apple production. The payments will help offset economic losses due to low prices in the U.S. apple market. Growers can receive payments based on their 2000-crop apple production, and they will be paid on a maximum of up to 5 million pounds per separate apple operation.
Many growers have planted Honeycrisp in response to market demand and the (mostly) desirable and unique characteristics of the apple. Although not all the bugs have been worked out, considerable effort by researchers in New York, Michigan, and Massachusetts over the past few years has gone into developing preliminary harvest and storage regimes for Honeycrisp.
At this point, our best recommendations for harvesting and storing Honeycrisp are as follows:
As a result of surveys of commercial orchards carried out by USDA and State inspectors, PPV has been confirmed at an orchard outside of the current quarantine areas for the first time this year. The detection was made at an orchard in Monaghan Township, York County. PPV was identified by scientists at the State laboratory in Harrisburg, PA, and confirmed by Scientists at the PPQ-Center for Plant Health Science and Technology in Beltsville, MD. In addition to requiring the removal of the orchard, the project staff will also be requiring the removal of all host material within 500 meters. This will result in the removal of a total of 50 acres of orchard. The State and USDA will be revising the current quarantine areas to include an area that includes the new find.
We have completed a second year of sampling for plum pox in Indiana peach orchards. Over the last 2 years, we have collected just over 2000 samples and all have tested negative. No more sampling is planned. Let's hope the virus can be contained in Pennsylvania and Ontario.
As some of you saw during the Hort. Society summer tour at Purdue, we are testing a range of new apple cultivars to see how they perform under Indiana conditions. This is our first year of seeing fruit from these trees. Last week I sampled fruit from Zestar from Minnesota and Silken from British Columbia.
My first impressions are that Zestar looks promising, although it shows some unevenness in shape and russeting. These could be problems associated with light crops from young trees. I wasn't too excited about Silken. Although it is quite attractive (very light cream color) it's flavor was pretty bland. Please bear in mind these are just initial impressions from young trees and that we need to evaluate these varieties over a number of years to have a more accurate handle on their performance here. Thanks to contributors to the Return Bloom Fund who helped pay for the establishment and management of this planting.
Wet weather during the apple harvest period can lead to the development of pinpoint scab and other fruit infecting diseases, such as sooty blotch and fly speck. Pinpoint scab can infect fruit up to and during the harvest period if wet weather persists at this time; however, the symptoms of pinpoint scab may not show up until the fruit have been stored for several months. Late season apple scab can also build up on leaves after harvest, resulting in large quantities of primary scab spores the following season, even though a good spray program was followed early this year. Help prevent such problems by maintaining scab fungicides in late cover sprays; also do not stop cover sprays too early. Check the label for days-to-harvest restrictions before making the final application.
Late summer is a good time to inspect trees for above-ground symptoms of collar rot. Look for weak trees with premature leaf reddening (especially on goldens); sparse, yellow foliage; and many small, highly colored fruit. Keep in mind that such symptoms are general stress symptoms that may be caused by a number of factors, such as wet feet, mouse injury, trunk decay, root rot, etc. However, trees that show the above-described symptoms and also have a canker at or just below ground level are likely infected with collar rot. If collar rot is suspected, we advise the use of Ridomil Gold EC in the fall after harvest. Apply Ridomil as soon as possible after harvest so it will be in place before the fall rainy periods begin and possible new infections occur. Also be sure to concentrate your Ridomil treatment on surrounding healthy-appearing trees, not just trees already showing symptoms of collar rot. Ridomil is best used to prevent collar rot, not cure it. The soil-borne fungus, Phytophthora, which causes collar rot, can be even more of a problem on stone fruits, such as cherry and peach. Don't forget to check out your stone fruits for symptoms of collar rot as described above.
The Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetle (MALB) has been a serious problem over the past two years in grapes. The insects are not directly attacking the fruit, but they tend to cling to the harvested clusters and when the fruit is processed into juice, they impart a definite off-flavor and aroma to the resulting wine.
We have organized a multi-state coalition to monitor the problem this year, but as luck would have it, the MALBs have not cooperated. Apparently their population is way down this year, perhaps due to reduced populations of soybean aphids. We're really not sure what happened, but we're not complaining either. However, we would like to hear from any fruit grower that sees a significant build up of this insect in their plantings. It's doubtful that they have ceased to be a problem altogether. If you have questions or want to report sightings of this pest, please contact us at bordelon@hort.purdue.edu or Rick_Foster@entm.purdue.edu or by phone at 765-494-8212 or 765-494-9572.
General: Flower bud initiation deep in the crown of the plants is happening now, determining next year's yield, so maintaining good plant health into the fall is important. In addition to keeping up with the fertilizer program, suppressing leaf diseases improves the ability of the plant to carry on photosynthesis and store starch in the crowns. Don't let leaf spot or powdery mildew get ahead of you. Narrow the rows to about 12 inches and cultivate the alleys in fruiting fields and new plantings for the last time before mulching. Plant winter rye in plowed down fields as soon as possible in order to get good establishment and growth before winter.
Nutrition: Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to bearing beds in early September to bring your seasonal total up to 100-120 lbs/acre. Most growers apply about 70-80 lbs of nitrogen on at renovation. The fall application should provide another 30-50 lbs (more on soils with low organic matter content). This stimulates good root growth in the fall and supplies nitrogen needed for flower bud initiation. New fields need to have a total of 80 - 100 lbs/acre of nitrogen, with about 40 lbs applied in the fall. Ammonium nitrate (35% N) is a good fertilizer for the fall application.
If your leaf tissue analysis shows deficiencies in magnesium or boron, early fall is a good time for foliar applications of Epsom salts (15lbs/100gal/acre for magnesium) and Solubor (3lbs/100gal/acre) for boron. Don't make these applications on hot humid days, however, or phytotoxicity could result. Read the labels.
Weeds: Weed management in the early fall is limited to cultivation and hand weeding/hoeing. The only herbicide you should consider using is Poast for controlling grasses. Poast will only work on relatively small grasses. Big clumps of crabgrass will have to be pulled by hand. However, quackgrass can be knocked down by cultivation or mowing and then treated with Poast when new growth is less than 6 inches high. One note of caution -- Poast, which is used with a crop oil surfactant, can injure strawberry foliage in cold weather. I would recommend its use as a spot treatment at this time of year rather than a broadcast treatment of the whole field. Weed management later in the fall can include applications of preemergent materials such as Devrinol and Sinbar.
Diseases: Clean up severe infections of leaf spot and powdery mildew. Healthy leaves are important at this time of year to supply the plant with the energy to produce flower buds for next year's crop and to store energy in the roots for the first flush of growth next spring. Apply Ridomil Gold or Alliette in September or early October in areas where Red Stele has been identified. It is best to apply these materials when the soil is beginning to cool but before heavy fall rains begin.
Insects: Check fields for infestations of leafhopper or aphids. Generally, plants can take a fair amount of feeding by these insects, but heavy infestations can be a problem. Aphids can vector virus diseases and should not be allowed to build up, especially when they are in the winged form and can disperse to other fields.
General: Encourage hardening off of canes in summer bearing varieties of red and black raspberries and blackberries by avoiding nitrogen fertilizers and supplemental watering at this time. Do not remove spent floricanes until later in the winter unless they are significantly infected with disease. Fall bearing raspberries can still benefit from irrigation in dry weather to help maintain fruit size. Early varieties like 'Autumn Bliss' are starting to run out, while 'Heritage' and 'Polana' are still going strong, although fruit size has dropped off from the early pickings.
Nutrition: Based on soil and tissue test results, apply non-nitrogen containing fertilizers and lime as needed. For example, Sul-Po-Mag or Epsom Salts can be applied now so that fall rains can help wash it into the root zone for the plants.
Weeds: Now is the time to do a weed survey and map of problem areas, so that you can use this information to develop an effective management strategy. A late fall application of Casoron (dichlobenil) for preemergent control of broadleaf weeds next spring should be made only when temperatures are below 40°F, preferably just before rain or snow.
Diseases: Fall bearing raspberries can suffer fruit rot problems due to increased moisture present in the planting (longer dew retention, longer nights) late in the growing season. The majority of this fruit-rot is Botrytis cinerea, gray mold. Control options are limited. Captan is not labeled for use on brambles. Remaining stocks of Benlate cannot be used in PYO plantings. Rovral remains with a 0 day phi, but resistance is a concern if this product is overused. Elevate is a new material that can be alternated with Rovral. It can only be used up to 4 times per season to avoid the development of resistance. Frequent harvesting and cull-harvesting are the best practices, but are expensive and impractical in many cases. Thinning canes in dense plantings can also help. Scout summer bearing brambles to look for powdery mildew and treat if necessary. See the Ohio Commercial Small Fruit Spray Guide for recommended materials and rates. If Phytophthora root rot has been identified in a field, treat the affected area with Ridomil Gold or Alliette in September or early October. This timing is important to get the material in place in the root zone before the onset of cool wet weather and soil in the fall.
General: As with raspberries, blueberry plants should be encouraged to harden off for the winter. This means no nitrogen fertilizer at this time. Flag bushes that show premature reddening of leaves compared to others of the same variety. This can be an indicator of infection with virus or other pathogens. If you haven't done it already, make some notes on observations from this year that might be helpful in coming years (e.g., variety performance, sections of the field that did well or poorly, how well some practices worked, or didn't, etc.). Relying on memory isn't always accurate enough. Nothing can replace a detailed field history when trying to diagnose problems.
Nutrition: Hold off on any nitrogen fertilizers. Based on leaf tissue tests and soil tests, sulfur, lime, and some fertilizers can be added now. Apply these before fall rains begin and also before adding any supplemental mulch to the plants.
Weeds: As with other small fruit crops, now is a good time to do a weed survey and map the weed problems in your planting. This information will be very useful in tailoring your weed management plan so it is effective and not wasteful. A late fall application of Casoron (dichlobenil) for preemergent control of broadleaf weeds next spring should be made only when temperatures are below 40°F, preferably just before rain or snow.
Diseases: Weak plants can easily be detected this time of year because they tend to turn red earlier than healthy bushes. Upon finding weakened bushes, try to determine the reason for weakness. Is the root system damaged? If so, is it likely from a disease infection or root damage by voles or grubs? If the roots are healthy, could a crown borer (Dogwood borer) be the culprit? Or is stunt disease the cause? Or Scorch? Accurate diagnosis is the first step in resolving the problem and avoiding spread. Enlist the help of specialists if you have trouble determining the cause of problems.
Insects: The main worry now is for sharp-nosed leafhopper which is the vector for stunt disease. If you have determined that you have bushes infected with stunt disease in your planting, an application of malathion to the infected bushes and any immediately surrounding bushes should be made to control leafhoppers before removing the infected bushes. Failing to do this will likely cause the spread of the disease to clean bushes even after infected bushes have been removed.
General: Harvest is underway for early varieties and sparkling wine. Check fruit for sugar, acidity, and pH twice weekly to keep track of ripening.
Nutrition: Apply only lime and non-nitrogen containing fertilizers at this time, according to soil and petiole analyses done earlier in the year.
Weeds: As with other small fruit crops, now is a good time to do a weed survey and map the weed problems in your vineyard. This information will be very useful in tailoring your weed management plan so that it is effective and not wasteful. A late fall application of Casoron (dichlobenil) for preemergent control of broadleaf weeds next spring should be made only when temperatures are below 40°F, preferably just before rain or snow. Use only on well established vines.
Diseases: Powdery and downy mildew and Botrytis bunch rot can be problems at this time. Generally, berries are less susceptible to black rot this late in the season. Don't forget to control the mildews, even after harvest, if there is a significant level of infection in the vineyard. Failure to control it now can effect overwintering and productivity next season.
Insects: Now is the time to assess the effectiveness of Grape Berry Moth management practices used this year. Evaluate each block for low, medium, or high levels of infestation this year, taking note of hot-spots within blocks. This will be the first step in your risk assessment protocol for next year.
Cordon training of Ribes plants whose fruit is intended for the fresh market is standard practice for growers in Holland. The basic idea of the system is that one to three trunks (vertical cordons) per plant are developed and trained to stakes vertically. Pruning removes old and excess wood in order to renew the fruiting structures of the plant. Plants are opened up to provide better access to fruit and better ventilation, light, and spray penetration. Quality and size of fruit can be improved, and labor for picking is reduced.
Red Currants: In Holland, red currants are planted about 1/2 meter apart. Three branches are selected as cordons, and trained up bamboo stakes spaced at the center of the plant, and about fifteen centimeters on each side. The cordons are encouraged to grow to a height of five to six feet. A spare branch is left at the base of the plant each year as insurance in case any of the cordons die and need replacement. During the same year, right after fruiting, the year-old branches that bore fruit are removed. Very small branches and misplaced or crowding branches are removed, leaving medium-sized branches that will bear fruit the next season. This way, a plant is completely renewed (except the cordon) on an annual basis.
Gooseberries: Gooseberries can be very difficult to harvest if they are a thorny variety. Cordon training offers the advantage of opening up the plant and leaving fruit accessible. In Holland, a single branch is chosen and trained up a stake to a height of five to six feet. Only new, well spaced, medium-sized branches are left at the end of the growing season. Poorly spaced, small branches, and branches that bore fruit are removed.
Trellising System: I have found that the electrical conduit used for training apples to the vertical axis system is good for a ribes trellis. Ideally, posts would be about two meters long with about thirty centimeters pounded into the ground, and a hole drilled about four centimeters from the top. The posts could be spaced six to eight feet apart, with a number fourteen or twelve wire passed through the holes at the top of the stakes. At each end of the trellis, a conduit anchor post can be driven in, and the wire attached through a hole drilled near the top of the post. Six foot bamboo posts are then spaced as needed along the wire, pushed in a couple of inches, and tied at the top. Green horticultural tape can be used to tie trunks to the posts.
Conversion of Bushes to Cordons: Bushes can easily be converted to cordons by selecting three young to medium-aged branches (one in the case of gooseberries) to become cordons. If spacing is too wide between plants, cuttings can be taken and stuck between older plants (best done Sept.15-Oct. 15 in the Northeast US) to develop new plants. Older plants will become adapted within one growing season.
| State District | Situation |
| Northwest | Severe drought |
| North-central | Moderate drought |
| Northeast | Moderate drought |
| Central Hills | Severe drought |
| Eastern Hills | Severe drought |
| South | Severe drought |
| Southwest | Moderate drought |
| Central | Moderate drought |
| Southeast | Moderate drought |
The USDA Topsoil Moisture chart indicates that 84% of the state is experiencing short to very short topsoil moisture conditions as of September 8, 2002.
Source: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/monitoring_and_data/topsoil.html
Site: Waterman Lab, Columbus
Dr. Celeste Welty, OSU Extension Entomologist
Source: Chicago
http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/HX_FV010.txt
Detroit
http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/DU_FV010.txt
Pittsburgh
http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/PS_FV010.txt
| Chicago | Detroit | Pittsburgh |
| Chicago | Detroit | Pittsburgh | |
| Apples, ctns celpk, U.S. ExFcy McIntosh | NY 80s 26.00
96s 26.00 |
NY 100s 25-26.00
120s 20-21.00 |
U.S. Fancy McIntosh
NY 100s 21-22.00 120s 17-18.00 |
| Apples, ctns trypk, U.S. Fcy Royal Gala | WV 88s 27.50
100s 27.50 | ||
| Apples, cartons, 12 3-lb filmbags, U.S. Fancy Gala | MI 2¼" min 15.00 | MI 2½" min 15-16.50 | PA 2½" up 14-16.00
WV 2½" min 16.75 |
| U.S. Fancy Ginger Gold | MI 2½" min 15-15.50 | ||
| U.S. Fancy Jonathan | IL 2½" min 16.00
MI 2¼" min 15.00 |
WV 2½" min 13.25 | |
| U.S. Fancy McIntosh | MI 2½" min 16-16.50
NY 2¼" min 16.00 |
NY 2½" min 17-18.00 | |
| U.S. Fancy Paula Red | MI 2½" min 13.50-15 | ||
| U.S. ExFcy Red Delicious | MI 2½" min 16-16.50 | U.S. Fancy Red Del.
NY 2½" up 21.50 PA 2½" up 17.50 | |
| Apples, bu cartons, loose U.S. Fcy Gala | MI 2¾" up 19.50-20
2¼" up 14-14.50 |
PA 2½" min 12.50-14 | |
| Golden Delicious
Jonathan |
IL 2¼" up 16.00
IL 2¼" min 14-16.00 |
||
| U.S. Fcy Cortland
U.S. Fcy McIntosh |
PA 2½" up 12.50-13.50
PA 2½" up 12-13.50 | ||
| Blueberries, 12 1-pt cups | MI 18.00-20.00 | MI 15.00-20.00 | No offerings |
| Peaches, 25 lb cartons, loose U.S. ExOne, various yellow flesh varieties | NC 2¾" up 14-15.00
NJ 2½" min 12-13 |
U.S ExOne
Rio Oso Gem NJ 2½" up 18-18.50 | |
| Peaches, ½ bu ctns, U.S. ExOne various yellow flesh varieties | NJ 2¾" up 18-20.00
some 12-14.00 2½" up 16-18.50 some 10-12.00 2¼" up 12-13.00 |
||
| Pears, 30 lb ctns, U.S. One Bartlett | WV 2½" min 10.25
2¼" min 8.00 |
The intent of listing terminal market prices is to provide information available in the public domain. It is not intended for price setting, only to assist growers in evaluating the value of their crops. Producers need to remember that the prices listed are gross, and consideration must be given to marketing costs, including commission, handling charge, gate fees, and possible lumper fees.
Ted W. Gastier
Extension Agent, Agriculture
Tree Fruit Team Coordinator
Ohio State University Extension Huron County
180 Milan Avenue
Norwalk, OH 44857
Phone: (419)668-8210
FAX: (419)663-4233
E-mail: gastier.1@osu.edu
Copyright © The Ohio State University 2002
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension
are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to
race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender,
age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director,
OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868